The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-26
than water tinged with vinegar, but under

our northern climate the temptation to heat
ing Stimulants is most mighty, and millions
succumb When mans habits go wrong
the church 'lroIs him. the social circle drops
him, good in 1uenccs drop him. we ali drop
him. Of all the men who get oil the track hui
residence there is a lifesaving station on the
beach There are all the ropes and rockets,
the boats, the machinery for getting people
off shipwrecks. Summer before last saw
there fifteen or twenty men who were break
fasting, after having just escaped with their
lives and nothing more. Up and down our
coasts are built these useful structures, and
the mariners know it., and they feel that II
they are driven into the breakers there Will
be apt from shore to come rescue. The
churches Of God ought to be 80 many life saw
ing stations, not so much to help those who
are in smooth waters but those who have been
shipwrecked. Come, let us run out the life
boats! And who will man them! we DO not
preach enough to such men; we have NOS
enough faith in their release. Alas II when
they come to hear US we are laboriouSly try
ing to show the difference between sublap-
sarianism and supralaprarianism while they
have a thousand vipers of remorse and de-.
spair coiing around and biting their immortal
spirits. The church is not chiefly for goodish
sort of men whose proclivities are all right.
and who could get to heaven praying and
singing in their own hom,s. 1t IS on the
beach to help, the drowning. The Those bad bad
to take hold of. he can save
big sinner as we'll as small sinner,
and when q man calls earnestly to God for
help he will go out to deliver such one: II
ft were necessary God would come down
from the sky, followed by all the artillery OF
heaven and 100000 angels with drawn
swords. Get 100 such redeemed men In each
~
before them, for such men are generally warm
hearted and enthusiastic. No formal prayers
then. No heartless singing then. No cold
conventionalisms then.
Furthermore the destitute children OF the
street offer field of work comparatively un-
occupied. The uncared for children are in
the majority in Brooklyn and most OF our
cities. When they growup if unreformedi,
they will outvote your children. and they will
govern yoar children. The whisky ring will
hatch out other whisky rings, and grog
shops will kill with their horrid stencil public
sobriety, unless the church of God rises up
with outstretched arms and enfolds this dying
population in her bosom. Public schools can
not do it. Art galleries cannot do it. Black
wells Island cannot do it. Almshouses can,
not do it. New York Tombs and Raymond
Street Jail cannot do it. Sing Sing cannot
do it. Church of God, wake up to your mag
nificent mission. You can do it. Get some
where, somehow to work.
The Prussian cavalry mount by putting
their right foot into the stirrup, while the
American cavalrymen mount by putting
their left foot into the stirrup: don't care
how you mount your war charger; II you
only get into this for God and get there
nos no Strip at all. The unoccupied fields
are all around u.s. and why should
we build on another mans foundation!
That God has called this church to
especial work no one can doubt. Its his
tory has been miraculous. God has helped us
at every step, and though the wheels OF its
history have made many revolutions, they
have all been forwarded, and never backward,
and now with our borders enlarged and with
important re-enforcements we start on new
campaign. At Sharon Springs, nineteen
years ago, walking in the park, asked God, II
he had any particular work for me to do, to
make it plain and I would do it. He revealed
to me the style of church we were to have AN
he revealed to Inc the architecture, and he re-
yealed to NE the modes of worship, and he
revealed to ME my work, and, as far as IN my
ignorance and weakness have seen the right
way. I have tried to walk in it.
We decided that we want d 1T O
soul saving church, and it has been
almost constant outpouring of the Holy
Ghost. Ye powers of darkness, ye devils in
hell, we mean to snatch from your dominion
other multitudes, if God will help u.s. ! have
heard of what was called tho t'thundering
legion" 1t was in ITO part OF the Roman
army to which some Christians belonged,
and their prayers. it was said, were an
swercd by thunder AMI lightning and hail
and tempest, which overthrow an invading
army and saved the empire. And woulo
to God that this church may b, SO
mighty in prayer and work that it would b.
come q thindering legion before which the
forces of sin might be routed and the gates OF
hell be made to tremble. Now that the autumn
has come, and the gospel ship has Deen re- re.
paired and enlarged, it is time to launch her
for another voyage. Heaye away now, ladsl
shake out the reefs in the foretopsail J. Come,
o heavenly wind, and fill the canvas! Jesus
aboard will assure our safety. jesus on the
sea will beckon us forward. Jesus on the
shining shore will welcome us into harbor:
"And 50 it came to pass that they all escaped
safe to land"